# Kurdish anthems

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Songs symbolizing Kurdish identity and resistance

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**Kurdish anthems** ([Kurdish](/source/Kurdish_language): سروودە کوردییەکان, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Kurdish): *Sirûde Kurdîyekan*, or *سروودە نیشتمانییەکان*) are an important form of [cultural](/source/Kurdish_culture) and political expression that reflect the identity and historical experiences of the [Kurdish people](/source/Kurds). Often centered on themes such as resilience, [resistance](/source/Resistance_literature), and [cultural pride](/source/Culture), these anthems have played a key role in preserving Kurdish heritage and voicing aspirations for independence.[1][2]

The most well-known anthem, [Ey Reqîb](/source/Ey_Req%C3%AEb), was written by poet [Dildar](/source/Dildar_(poet)) in 1938 during his imprisonment, it is now the national anthem of the Kurdish people and the official anthem of the [Kurdistan Region](/source/Kurdistan_Region).[3][4][5][6][7]

## Background

Kurdish anthems play a key role in expressing [Kurdish national identity](/source/Kurdish_nationalism) and cultural heritage. Blending musical elements with ideological themes, they serve as tools for [political expression](/source/Politics) and [solidarity](/source/Solidarity) among Kurds in [Turkey](/source/Turkey) ([Turkish Kurdistan](/source/Turkish_Kurdistan)), Iraq ([Iraqi Kurdistan](/source/Iraqi_Kurdistan)), [Syria](/source/Syria) ([Syrian Kurdistan](/source/Syrian_Kurdistan)), and [Iran](/source/Iran) ([Iranian Kurdistan](/source/Iranian_Kurdistan)).[8]

The origins of Kurdish anthems date back to [early Kurdish nationalism](/source/Early_Kurdish_nationalism) during the [Ottoman Empire](/source/Ottoman_Empire). Following its partition, Kurdish regions were divided among new nation-states, resulting in cultural marginalization. In response, traditional music revived a sense of identity and continuity amid modern challenges and repression.[9][10] Kurdish anthems often respond to the [persecution of Kurds](/source/Persecution_of_Kurds), expressing their struggles. In recent years, musicians have also emerged as activists and cultural leaders.[11]

## Notable Kurdish anthems

### Ey Reqib

"[Ey Reqîb](/source/Ey_Req%C3%AEb)" ([Kurdish](/source/Kurdish_language): ئەی ڕەقیب, lit. 'O Enemy!'), serves as the Kurdish national anthem and the official anthem of the Kurdistan Region.[12] Composed by the poet [Dildar](/source/Dildar_(poet)) in 1938 while imprisoned. This anthem was initially adopted by the short-lived Kurdish [Republic of Mahabad](/source/Republic_of_Mahabad) in 1946 and gained prominence in the Kurdistan Region after the [Gulf War](/source/Gulf_War) in 1991, when the Kurdish population was granted greater autonomy in [Iraq](/source/Iraq).[13]

### Her Kurd Ebîn

"[Her Kurd Ebîn](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Her_Kurd_Eb%C3%AEn&action=edit&redlink=1)" ([Kurdish](/source/Kurdish_language): ھەر کورد ئەبین, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Kurdish): *Her Kurd Ebîn*, lit. 'We will remain Kurds'), another Kurdish anthem was written by [Ibrahim Ahmad](/source/Ibrahim_Ahmad), a [Kurdish writer](/source/List_of_Kurdish_poets_and_authors) and [politician](/source/Politician), and was adopted as a national anthem in 2003. It is performed at official events in the Kurdistan Region.[14]

## Musical characteristics

### Instrumentation

Main article: [Kurdish musical instruments](/source/Kurdish_musical_instruments)

Kurdish music employs a rich array of [traditional instruments](/source/Folk_instrument) that play an essential role in its cultural expression. Prominent among these are [tanbur](/source/Kurdish_tanbur) and [daf](/source/Daf).[15] Other important instruments include [zurna](/source/Zurna) and [blwêr](/source/Flute), which is widely utilized in various musical contexts. Each of these [instruments](/source/Musical_instrument) contributes unique sounds that enhance the emotive quality of Kurdish music.[16][17]

### Vocal traditions

Vocal performance is central to [Kurdish music](/source/Kurdish_music), often characterized by its storytelling nature. The [Dengbêj](/source/Dengb%C3%AAj), traditional bards, play a significant role in this context, recounting local histories and ancestral tales through song.[18] Kurdish songs, referred to as *stran* or *goranî*, generally feature simple melodies with a limited range of four to five notes, emphasizing lyrical themes of love, exile, and resistance. The human voice is considered the most vital instrument in this tradition, reflecting the deep emotional connection to the lyrics.[19]

## List of Kurdish anthems

Kurdish title (Romanization) English title Author Ey Reqîb O Enemy Dildar Her Kurd Ebîn We will remain Kurds Ibrahim Ahmad Yan Kurdistan Yan Neman Either Kurdistan or Die Be Kurdayetî With Kurdism Slawî Germî Warm Greeting Merziye Feriqi Kîne Em? Who Are We? Şivan Perwer Herne Pêş Keep Moving Forward Şivan Perwer Lêre Nařom I Will Not Leave Here Ey Kurdîne O Kurds Rêy Xebatiman The Path of Our Struggle Shaswar Jalal Said Kurdistan Nîştimanî Kurd Kurdistan, Homeland of Kurds Mustafa Dadar Kurdistan Cêgamî Kurdistan, My Place Mustafa Dadar Şînî Hêmin The Whine of Hemin Mustafa Dadar Kurdistan Nîştimanî Ciwan Kurdistan, Homeland of Beauty Ey Nîştiman O Homeland Hassan Zirak Ey Weten O Nation Hassan Zirak Kurdistan Ey Nîştimanim Kurdistan, O My Nation Demî Řapeřîn Time of Uprising Asûdebin Be in Peace Le Řêy Kurdistan (Be Kûrdîkewe) On the Road to Kurdistan Mîletê Kurdî Kurdish Nation Ali Baran Kazacok (Kurdish version) Kazachok Ciwan Haco Min Pêşmergey Kurdistanim I Am a Peshmerga of Kurdistan Nasser Razazi Sedey Bîsteme Twentieth century Nasser Razazi Kurdim Emin I Am Kurdish Hemin Mukriyani

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Bullock, Jon (2021-12-23). ["Decolonizing the Boundaries: Indigenous Musical Discourse in the History of Kurdish Radio Baghdad"](https://iaspmjournal.net/index.php/IASPM_Journal/article/view/1059). *IASPM Journal*. **11** (2): 22–38. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5429/2079-3871(2021)v11i2.3en](https://doi.org/10.5429%2F2079-3871%282021%29v11i2.3en). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2079-3871](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2079-3871).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Aghapouri, Jiyar Hossein (2020-03-14). ["Towards pluralistic and grassroots national identity: a study of national identity representation by the Kurdish diaspora on social media"](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14608944.2019.1601172). *National Identities*. **22** (2): 173–192. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2020NatId..22..173A](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020NatId..22..173A). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/14608944.2019.1601172](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F14608944.2019.1601172). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1460-8944](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1460-8944).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** bottom, Subscript numbers are citation references associated with Credits/Works Cited section at the (2023-12-16). ["Kurdish Music, and It's \[sic\] Place in Nashville"](https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f89944813c8b4d419552cc457e89ba32). *ArcGIS StoryMaps*. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Mürer, George; Çakır, Argun (2022). ["Introduction: New Contours in Kurdish Music Research"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/27159528). *The World of Music*. **11** (2): 5–24. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0043-8774](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0043-8774). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [27159528](https://www.jstor.org/stable/27159528).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Kurdish Identity Constructions In Iraq Since The First Gulf War (1991)"](https://studenttheses.universiteitleiden.nl/access/item:2605135/view). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250515114231/https://studenttheses.universiteitleiden.nl/access/item:2605135/view) from the original on 2025-05-15. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hassan, Ikhlas Mahdi (2024-10-31). ["A Cognitive Analysis of American and Kurdish National Anthems in the light of Text World Theory"](https://jls.tu.edu.iq/index.php/JLS/article/view/1241). *Journal of Language Studies*. **8** (10): 223–239. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.25130/Lang.8.10.12](https://doi.org/10.25130%2FLang.8.10.12). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2663-9033](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2663-9033).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hongur, Gönenç (2022). ["Soundscapes and borderscapes: Music as a counter-mapping discourse in the Kurdish nationalist movement"](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sena.12360). *Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism*. **22** (1): 28–42. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/sena.12360](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fsena.12360). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1754-9469](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1754-9469).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Kuruoğlu, Alev; Hamelink, Wendelmoet (2017). ["Sounds of resistance"](https://www.academia.edu/36828897). *The Politics of Culture in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus*: 103–121. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.4324/9781315690803-5](https://doi.org/10.4324%2F9781315690803-5). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-315-69080-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-315-69080-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Azeez, Hawzhin (2023-07-03). ["The Dengbêj: Keepers of Kurdish Memory & History"](https://nlka.net/eng/the-dengbej-keepers-of-kurdish-memory-and-history/). *The Kurdish Center for Studies*. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Morad, Kawa (2023-05-27). ["Musical spirits and poetic tongues: oral traditions in the cultural politics of Kurdish intellectuals (1920s-1940s)"](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F13530194.2022.2025763). *British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies*. **50** (3): 768–784. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/13530194.2022.2025763](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F13530194.2022.2025763). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1353-0194](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1353-0194).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The Sonic Craft of Goranî: The Evolution of Turbocharged, Transnational Kurdish Music"](https://ajammc.com/2020/09/06/sonic-craft-kurdish-grani/). *Ajam Media Collective*. 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Kurdistan – nationalanthems.info"](https://nationalanthems.info/krd.htm). Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Aghapouri, Jiyar Hossein (2020-03-14). ["Towards pluralistic and grassroots national identity: a study of national identity representation by the Kurdish diaspora on social media"](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14608944.2019.1601172). *National Identities*. **22** (2): 173–192. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2020NatId..22..173A](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020NatId..22..173A). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/14608944.2019.1601172](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F14608944.2019.1601172). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1460-8944](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1460-8944).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["هەر كورد بووین و هەر كورد ئەبین‌"](https://knwe.org/KU/Details/17447). *knwe.org* (in Kurdish). Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Kurdish music and instruments"](https://kurdishglobe.krd/kurdish-music-and-instruments/). *Kurdishglobe*. 2024-08-26. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["An Introduction to Kurdish Folk Music"](https://folkworks.org/article/an-introduction-to-kurdish-folk-music/). *FolkWorks*. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Spencer, Noel (2022-09-26). ["Religious Musical Knowledge and Modes of Transmission among the Kurdish Ahl-e Haqq of Gurān"](https://oraltradition.org/religious-musical-knowledge-and-modes-of-transmission-among-the-kurdish-ahl-e-haqq-of-guran/). *Oral Tradition*. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Kardaş, Canser (2019-02-05). Ulaş, Özdemir; Hamelink, Wendelmoet; Greve, Martin (eds.). *Diversity and Contact among Singer-Poet Traditions in Eastern Anatolia*. Ergon Verlag. pp. 37–38. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-95650-481-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-95650-481-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Hamelink, Wendelmoet (2016). *The Sung Home. Narrative, Morality, and the Kurdish Nation*. Leiden: BRILL. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-31482-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-31482-5).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kurdish anthems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_anthems) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_anthems?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.